In guiding the Red Devils to an awesome 28 major trophies, his barnstorming speeches commanded respect and won admiration across the footballing world.

To this day his words still reverberate in the memories of fans following his 27-year tenure at Old Trafford.

Now the football icon – famous for his "hair dryer threatment" – has moved upstairs, taking up as club ambassador and director at the world famous club.

To mark his 75th birthday on New Year’s Eve, here are a selection of some of his most famous quotes.

1. Half-time team talk during the European Cup final with Bayern Munich in 1999

“At the end of this game, the European Cup will be only six feet away from you, and you’ll not even able to touch it if we lose. And for many of you, that will be the closest you will ever get. Don’t you dare come back in here without giving your all.”

2. On Ryan Giggs

“I remember the first time I saw him. He was 13 and just floated over the ground like a cocker spaniel chasing a piece of silver paper in the wind."

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ICON: Fergie is now ambassador and director of Man UnitedRelated Articles

"If he was an inch taller he'd be the best centre half in Britain. His father is 6ft 2in – I'd check the milkman."

5. On Arsene Wenger

"They say he's an intelligent man, right? Speaks five languages. I've got a 15-year-old boy from the Ivory Coast who speaks five languages."

Sir Alex Ferguson's 105 Manchester United signings ranked

SIR ALEX FERGUSON was one of the greatest managers in English football history - but who were his best and worst signings?

1 / 105

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1. Cristiano Ronaldo. £12.3m from Sporting Lisbon - 10/10. From the start it was clear that he was an exciting player, but nobody could have foreseen how lethal he would become in front of goal. A true legend of world football

6. On that boot kick to David Beckham’s face

"It was a freakish incident. If I tried it 100 or a million times it couldn't happen again. If I could I would have carried on playing!"

7. On Jose Mourinho

"Jose understands winning and losing are twins in a way. When you win you don't gloat and when you lose you don't go bananas."